Russian students return home safe

KATI BEXLEYStaff Writer

Published Monday, October 25, 2004

click photo to enlarge

RUSSIAN EXCHANGE STUDENTS and some of the executives from Citi Card in Jacksonville posed for a photo right before the students left for home. The company employed the students during their stay in St. Augustine.

Twenty-five university students returned home to Russia after spending a unique four months in St. Johns County.

The Russian students came to the United States through J-1 visas, allowing them to work in the United States for four months, said Chris Bentley, Washington, D.C., spokesman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The students flew home about two weeks ago. Their stay here began under unnerving circumstances, but with the community's help, the students eventually thrived.

"When we were faced with the problems we thought that nobody could help us. But I even don't know what happened then, maybe God heard us, so everything changed," said student Kate Dorodnykh in an e-mail Sunday. "People learned about us and began to help."

The students said Euro House Co. in Destin left them stranded in St. Johns County in early June. They said they were supposed to work in Destin, but when they arrived in the country, in either New York, Atlanta or Miami, Euro House told them there wasn't any work for them and they should go to St. Augustine.

When the students came to the city, they said they were met by Vera Chiaramonte, owner of Old City Service Co., which has since been shut down by the state for operating without adequate insurance provisions. Chiaramonte crammed the students into two two-bedroom apartments without furniture.

After news reports of the students, there came an outpour of community support.

"Once the kids were removed from that situation they flourished," said St. Augustine Beach Mayor Frank Charles, who helped the students find jobs and housing. "If there's anything to learn here it's how generous the American people are, especially our community. The phone was ringing off the hook at the (Beach) police station of people wanting to help."

Charles opened an account for the students at Prosperity Bank and he said more than $5,000 was collected from the community. Some of the money was from Jacksonville Citi Card division of Citibank, where the students worked for the majority of their time here. When the students began to make money, they were required to pay their own rent and any other expenses Charles said. "It wasn't a free ride for these kids. They paid their own bills," he said.

There is about $200 left in the account, which will be used to pay for the last of the students' water bills, Charles said.

Some of the account money paid for the students' daily transportation of a limo bus to work in Jacksonville.

"I don't think there was a day that went by that I didn't hear the Russian students talking about and praising the people of St. Augustine," said Bruce Reid, Jacksonville Citi Card communications director.

Along with acquiring a good-paying job, the students went from living five to a bedroom to living in a condo, a house and apartments on St. Augustine Beach. Charles said landlords discounted their rents. The community also donated clothing and bikes to the students, he said.

Reid said the students worked in 23 Citi Card departments. He said Citi Card in Jacksonville had never employed so many foreign students.

He said he will always remember Dorodnykh, with whom he personally worked.

"We used her as a photographer and a writer for us," he said. "This was every bit a learning experience for us as it was for them, probably more so."

Dorodnykh said working for Citi Card was a very good experience in her life.

"I am so happy that I had a great opportunity to practice myself in such a place as Citi Card. I will remember those days and those people forever," Dorodnykh said.

Students' jobs ranged from customer service to technical assistance to human resources, Reid said. He said the company also had a University of North Florida professor tutor the students in English and business for eight weeks.

"All the students could speak English when they got here, but I would say after their time here they definitely improved," he said.

The students went to a rock concert, a Jacksonville Suns baseball game and Disney World through Citi Card, Reid said.

"They did everything for us," Dorodnykh said. "There no words of how thankful we are for them."

Reid said the students also volunteered at a summer camp for needy elementary children.

"The Russian students helped serve lunch and played games with them," he said. "They became a novelty at the camp because they taught the kids Russian words and showed them where they lived on a map."

Reid said several of the students have e-mailed him since they left, including Dorodnykh.

"She was very concerned, as were a lot of the students, about all the hurricanes we had," he said of the recent storms Charley, Ivan and Frances.

Charles said a farewell party was planned for the students, but the storms thwarted the efforts.

St. Augustine Beach Police Chief Richard Hedges said if foreign students return next year to work in companies in St. Johns he asks the companies to notify the police departments.

"Then maybe there's something we can do to help out these businesses to ensure everything is in order," Hedges said. "We just hope everyone learned something from this experience."

Dorodnykh said she took home an invaluable lesson she is passing along to other students.

"Now I can judge that I don't to want to be in situation as we were at the beginning of this story. Of course I warn all students not to have any deals with Euro House Co.," she said. "I appreciate this summer because it made me more mature."